Cut Flowers like any produce are a living tissue that derives energy primarily by exchanging gases with its surroundings through the process of respiration. Respiration involves the consumption of atmospheric oxygen, carbohydrates, and organic acids by the plant tissue, and the consequent production and release of metabolic energy, heat, carbon dioxide and water vapor.
The packaging systems provided in the art range from basic low density polyethylene bags to fairly sophisticated high oxygen transmission rate gas permeable membranes. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) and related technologies such as Modified Interactive Packaging (MIP) have been used widely and successfully with fresh produce for a number of years, but have not been used on any extensive scale with cut flowers.